Wisconsin Climate Snapshot
Understanding your local climate is key to creating a thriving, low-maintenance garden
Hardiness Zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b
Annual Rainfall
28-34 inches annually
Frost Window
May-September
Water Notes
Adequate rainfall
Popular Landscaping Styles
Discover design styles perfectly suited to Wisconsin's unique climate and landscape
Native Wisconsin prairie plants
Key Features:
- ā¢Big bluestem
- ā¢Prairie wildflowers
- ā¢Pollinator habitat
- ā¢Low maintenance
Shade garden under hardwood canopy
Key Features:
- ā¢Native ferns
- ā¢Spring ephemerals
- ā¢Shade perennials
- ā¢Mulched paths
Hardy perennials for zone 3-5
Key Features:
- ā¢Daylilies and hostas
- ā¢Siberian iris
- ā¢Hardy roses
- ā¢Ornamental grasses
Year-round structure
Key Features:
- ā¢Evergreens
- ā¢Colorful bark shrubs
- ā¢Ornamental grasses
- ā¢Berry plants
Recommended Plant Palettes
Native and adapted plants that thrive in Wisconsin's climate
Wood Violet
Viola sororia
State flower with purple blooms
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
State tree with brilliant fall color
Wild Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Blue flower spikes
Trillium
Trillium grandiflorum
White spring wildflower
Daylily
Hemerocallis spp.
Reliable bloomer
Hosta
Hosta spp.
Shade-loving foliage
Siberian Iris
Iris sibirica
Elegant blooms
Astilbe
Astilbe chinensis
Feathery plumes
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Copper fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Tall prairie grass
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Architectural native
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Graceful clumping grass
Seasonal Garden Checklist
Your year-round guide to maintaining a beautiful Wisconsin garden
Plant spring bulbs
Mulch and protect plants
Plan garden
Start seeds indoors
Plant vegetables
Harvest crops
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about landscaping in Wisconsin
Ready to Design Your Wisconsin Garden?
Upload a photo of your yard and get AI-powered garden designs tailored to Wisconsin's climate with native and adapted plants.
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